Separating beauties from beasts

Smorgasbord Sundays: Ancient Egyptian Mythology & Gods

The first time I moved out to live on my own was such an exciting experience because not only was it a rite of passage into greater personal freedom, but it also meant that I could decorate my place to suit my style.

Back when I was in high school, interior-decorating shows were some of my favourite programs to watch. I learned so much about colour theory, making the most of small spaces, and clever ways to add personality to a room.

So when I was able to really put what I learned into a concrete project, I was over the moon and into the stars!

Among some of the many home-decor items I found and fell in love with were three badass sculptures of Egyptian gods. To this day, they’re still some of my favourite items.

Come see more detailed photos of each sculpture, and I’ll also tell you a brief background on each of the gods.

Whaddup, Anubis?

Often seen carrying a sacred sceptre, this chill dude with a jackal head deals with people’s passage into the underworld. His chief responsibilities include protecting the journey of the deceased into the afterlife and overseeing the embalming process.

Jackals often hung around tombs, and the early Egyptians called upon Anubis in hopes that they’d protect their deceased loved ones from the jackals.

You don’t want to get on his bad side because he determines the fate of souls. (Yeah, better send him some chocolate-chip cookies the next time you do some baking. :P)

Is Maat Your Homegirl?

You can think of her partially as Lady Justice because she’s responsible for upholding the truth and ensuring that there’s balance, order, and morality.

You’ll notice that she likes to accessorize with a feather. (She was waaay ahead of the feather-hair trend!) Except instead of using it for fashion, she uses that feather to weigh souls. That feather helps her determine whether or not souls of the dead will achieve happiness in the afterlife.

Isis Is So Fly!

She’s supposed to be the ultimate wife and mother, protecting children and the dead.

Her name literally means “throne”, and she’s often depicted with a throne on top of her head. However, here, she sports the hieroglyphic symbol for a throne.

According to Egyptian mythology, Isis brought her brother (Osiris) back to life after he had been murdered. For some time, when the Nile River flooded each year, people said that it was due to Isis’ tears as she wept for Osiris.

Hope you enjoyed this really brief blog post. I’ve been wanting to share photos of these sculptures with you ever since I first began the Smorgasbord Sundays feature!

Do you enjoy reading Egyptian or Greek mythology? Which god intrigues you the most? Do you believe in the afterlife?

I love mythology! I love reading about it and it’s so interesting. I’m more in to Greek Mythology. I’ve read the whole Percy Jackson series which is about Greek Mythology and I read the Kane Chronicles which is about Egyptian Mythology. Those sculptures are beautiful.

Those are stunning! Did you continue the Egyptian motif throughout your home?

My sis got me reading Egyptian Mythology after I fell in love with Hawaiian, Greek, and Norse Mythology. Athena has always been a favourite (who can’t use a little wisdom?), although it would be nice to be more like Demeter since she could probably keep houseplants from dying.

Your post got me to looking around trying to find some basis for my own decorating…and there really isn’t one. Apparently, my decorating is as eclectic as me….nothing matches and there is no theme, but it’s cozy and that’s probably what really counts.

No, I don’t have an Egyptian motif. A lot of my home decor is pretty random and I don’t stick to a strict theme – it’s more fun this way! Glad you see it the same way. (The only thing I try to do is add as much green as I can without turning my place into Kermit’s lily pad. :P)

Egyptian mythology is fascinating–I’ve been interested in it my whole life. Those sculptures are really cool! I bet they’re a conversation starter! As a college student I definitely know about interior decorating in small spaces, haha. Posters are my favorite way to easily add some personality. When I have my own place one day though I would love to have some awesome sculptures as well!

I have a soft spot for movie posters, but I also like posters of world landmarks and art. Right now I have a giant poster of a pink Eiffel Tower, a poster from a museum exhibit I really enjoyed, and a movie poster of The Phantom of the Opera.

A pink Eiffel Tower sounds very girly and playful! I bet it adds a whimsical touch to your whole room.

Oh my gosh, I haven’t thought of The Phantom of the Opera movie for a long time until you mentioned it! That movie gave me goosebumps because the sets, the songs, and the actors were incredible. I need to watch it again – have it on DVD!

Gorgeous! Id like to see the while pic of the room they’re in! When I read the title I thought you’d have Anubis, Osiris and Isis, you got me there with Maat. Great quality, xoxo!Marcia recently posted: NY Giants + China Glaze Skyscraper!

Hehe, actually, I just took the sculptures and photographed them in a soft box. Two of the sculptures (Anubis and Maat) are actually on my TV stand, on either side…like they’re guarding my connection to media. Then, Isis, is on my kitchen counter – kind of random, I know!

Oooo, that’s a toughie. Probably the most interesting thing to me was that the inscriptions on the sarcophagi were instructions to the dead on how to pass all the tests. Things like prayers to your heart: “Oh heart, don’t betray me.” That kind of thing.

Each book of the dead was different, and rich people could afford longer ones. There was a super long book of the dead for a princess at the end of the exhibit that took up all the exhibit space – there were several different scribes that worked on it. It was epic.

OMG Mary… Your post today reminded me of a really good/fun University course. I love learning new facts and your presentation was that of a top notch Professor… I may sound sarcastic but I am being honest. Wow!
I have not spent any time learning about greek mythology though I will say that I do find it fascinating and would LOVE to learn more (as with many other things in life). Thank you for sharing this tidbit with all of us!Marta recently posted: Flakiieeeeees!

Like you, I also appreciate when professors can take serious or even complicated information and flip it around to make it fun. Seems like that’s when students are more receptive and things sink in quicker because the content ‘just makes sense’. I’ve had a few university professors who did just that, and even after all these years, I still remember them and admire them.

How cool are these three? Wow, may I ask where you snagged them? I’d love to browse a store that carries figures like these! I had my own phase where I was so enamored of mythology but more Greco-Roman, as well as Hindu and Japanese. The Iliad, as tedious as it was to read, holds a special place in my heart. The Ramayana, too. Good memories from those two.